In this episode of Landscapes Unmuted, Divine and Maci explore the concept of success, and redefining it. They discuss the traditional stereotypes of success and the challenges they present to keeping people in the field. The conversation emphasizes the need to redefine success to include personal well-being, work-life balance, and community impact. Then they close out the episode by sharing their definitions of success, celebrating achievements, and sharing their dreams for the future.

In this inaugural episode of Landscapes Unmuted, hosts Maci Nelson and Divine Ndemeye introduce their new podcast, discussing their backgrounds, the importance of collaboration, and the challenges of navigating mental health and burnout in the design field. The conversation highlights their commitment to creating a healthier, more inclusive environment in landscape architecture and design. Maci and Divine both host their own podcasts, The Landscape Nerd, and Design Unmuted respectively. You can follow their work in the links below ⁠Remesha Design Lab⁠ @design_unmuted ⁠The Landscape Nerd⁠ @thelandscapenerd ⁠Transcript for the episode ⁠ Key Themes Collaboration is key to overcoming challenges in the design field. Mental health awareness is crucial for a healthier work culture. Personal identities shape our perspectives and work in design.

On this episode with Landscape Designer Michelle Gagnon Creely, we start off with a discussion on mental health and working culture in design education, and dive into her practice in design and mutual aid working with unhoused communities in Vancouver and Seattle. We bring housing issues into the realm of landscape architecture and unpack how parks have served as homes. Dive in to learn how design is used as a social tool to support unhoused communities, community care-centered design processes.

Join us as  we unpack the stories behind our exhibition; Sustaining Apertures, currently on view at the Or Gallery from March 7 to July 6, 2024.  Together Colin and I share all about our collaborative journey and discuss food security in relation to the land, intersectional conversations around environmental justice, place- based design, and architecture in contemporary art. Colin Berg Mbugua is a Kenyan-Canadian artist, researcher, and architectural designer. He holds both a Masters and a Bachelor in Architecture. Mbugua’s practice, Kagvr, founded in 2021, engages multi- disciplinary contexts that draw from traditional architectural practices while engaging experimentation through collaboration and cross-cultural exchange. You can watch a clip of this episode on the design_unmuted youtube channel here

Welcome to the Design unmuted podcast. I Am your host Divine, a landscape designer, artist, public speaker and social critic. Design unmuted is a podcast that centers BIPOC voices and experiences engaging at the intersection of social justice and critical perspectives in Landscape architecture, design and art. I started this podcast to create a platform to uplift marginalized voices and share stories that hopefully inspire you to expand your mind and heart. As an advocate for social justice, I engage in conversations on the many ways design and art can help us build equitable and beautiful communities. If you want to learn more and support this vision, make sure to subscribe and follow me on my website at www.remeshadesign.com/designunmuted and on instagram at design_unmuted. For speaking engagements and design and art project collaborations, please reach out on my website

Saba Farmand, a landscape architect,  talks about his passionate project that documents the boulevard gardens in East Vancouver and the stories behind the people who take over these public boulevard spaces and turn them into gardens. Through this project, Saba aims to build more urban literacy, environmental education and most importantly putting Landscape architecture into the community. This will be a great inspiration for those who want to have impact in their local communities in simple yet powerful ways.   You can watch this episode on the design_unmuted youtube channel here Follow Saba’s project on instagram at: eastvan_blvd_gardens Recorded on: August 29th, 2023

I am happy to launch the first conversation of the podcast season TRANSFORMING with Patricia Algara and Jose Leal. In this conversation Patricia and Jose share the ways in which they engage with their design practices in a meaningful way, engaging their spiritual practices into their work as a means to restore balance, connections to the cosmos and to reclaim their own indigeneity and agency. Tune in to learn their about their practices and the ways in which you can connect and engage more meaningfully with your own work. Patricia Algara is the Principal & Co Founder of Base Landscape Architecture and Founder of With Honey in the Heart . After working for a women’s rights organization on community empowerment projects, she earned a Masters Degree in Landscape Architecture in order to bring together participation and the built environment. Patricia is a shamanic counselor, a frame drummer, a landscape architect, a bee priestess Jose Leal is  Principal, Landscape Architect Director of Native Nation Building Studio at MIG. José has a passion for truth-telling, considers humor to be good medicine. His Mexican and Indigenous heritage lead to Jose’s passion for Indigenous landscape architecture and celebrating how diverse Indigenous people have adapted to their natural environment.  The production of this episode is supported by Anova Furnishings-who is on a mission to enhance landscapes and strengthen communities. They offer a variety of high-quality, functional outdoor site furniture products and styles to fit your project and budget. See more at www.anovafurnishings.com where you can shop online now or search for a local rep.

Announcement of the new podcast season called TRANSFORMING where I share about this theme and what you can expect over the next few months. I also tell you all about the new direction my Art and Design practice have taken this year.

In this episode, our guest Ashley Jane Lewis shares her work with Slime Tech Lab in using slim mold to promote equitable distribution of social justice, mutual aid, and wellbeing in local communities. We also discussed the messed up state of tech industry and social media platforms; and how understanding of slime mold behavior could inform the imagination of an alternative practice of intentional coding and community building towards spaces of care.

In this episode, my guest is Krystal Paraboo; an art historian and curator, community builder, communications specialist and activist. Krystal and I talk about decolonizing art spaces, curatorial activism, afrofuturism and we nerd out a bit on Harry Potter (mostly Krystal). We talk about work, productivity and mental health. Krystal also shares all about the Black Strathcona Resurgence Project which centered Black storytelling through public murals.

Continuing the conversation from part 1 on how Walter built his design career and creative ethos, this second part, we talk about the importance of making beautiful socially responsible work and the ways in which we ought to find ways to tell the truth in design. He calls this a prophetic aesthetic. We also talk about the pains of living as black people in a world full of racism, his latest art projects, and mostly a lot of laughter. Walter Hood is an award winning designer, artist and the creative director at Hood Design Studio. Hood Design Studio, Inc., is a social art and design practice based in Oakland, California, founded in 1992.

On this episode, Nya shares all about the “SANKOFA: African routes, Canadian roots” exhibition; the first African collection to be led by folks of African descent at the Museum of Anthropology at UBC. Nya describes the importance of Curatorial voices as the “Silent hand of how art is being consumed publicly”. We talk about the challenges of art curation and the strategic erasure of Black people in art institutions. We also talk about NFTs , her new project with Google Arts and the growing digital landscape of art.

In this episode, I am joined by Roberta Oramabo, an architect and landscape Architect. She recounts her design training and practice in Nigeria and all the surprising changes she encountered when she moved to Vancouver. We talk about how “sustainability” is conceived of and practiced in different places. We also talk about Nigerian cultural rituals and the ways these are celebrated. Roberta also talks about what she misses most about Nigeria, you wouldn’t believe what it is. Tune in to listen to this conversation. Roberta also shares her vision of the future of Lagos.

On this episode, I am joined by my friend Kiga (Landry Kigabiro), a DJ, producer and all around creative. We talk about his creative journey, his creative process and how the soundtrack of the design unmuted podcast; under the sun, came to be. We also talk about what freedom is. You can find his unique and eclectic mixes @Kuruza on Spotify

On this episode, my guest is Alethe; a self-taught fashion designer and entrepreneur and founder of Kyn Apparel; a bold and unique fashion line. She brings both her African and Canadian background forward in her designs. In this episode, we talk about her creative journey and design processes and the behind the scenes of running a business. We also talk about issues of cultural appropriation associated with the complicated colonial global history behind what has come to define “Dutch Wax” known as African prints. Make sure to follow Kyn Apparel on Instagram and use code DesignUnmutedFam for a discount. Valid until August 31st, 2021. Don’t miss out on a chance to look great!